Katy Perry Holds Her Own on Warped Tour

On her song One of the Boys, Katy Perry sings: “I don’t want to be just one of the boys.” But on this summer’s Vans Warped Tour, Perry has proven that she actually IS one of the boys. The Warped Tour is generally known for being heavy on the guys when it comes to the artists and bands performing on the three-month long trek across the United States. Last year, Paramore headlined the tour and lead singer Hayley Williams was the stand-out female of the entire tour’s band line up. You may be surprised to know that Katy Perry is not a headliner on this year’s Warped, even though she has the #1 single in America on the Billboard Hot 100 for the seventh week in a row with her hit I Kissed A Girl. Katy performs on the Hurley.com stage and not one of the two main stages. But let me tell you, the crowd that gathers in front of the Hurley.com stage awaiting Ms. Perry’s 30-minute set is just as big as the audiences that you would see watching bigger acts such as Angels & Airwaves, Motion City Soundtrack and The Academy Is… And just in case you were wondering, Katy Perry is NOT a one-hit wonder. Her debut album, One of the Boys, is jam-packed with incredibly catchy songs with infectious and memorable choruses. I bought the record and if you love I Kissed A Girl, you should buy it too!

Here’s a little fun fact that I know and you don’t: Hot N Cold is set to be Katy Perry’s next single! This insider information is courtesy of my very dear friend Vilmarie, who interns at a radio station where Perry was a guest. Thanks Villy! The one thing I will complain about regarding Perry’s Warped set in Chicago is that she never took off her black sunglasses! I was hoping to get a few photographs without the shades, but alas she kept them on and I never got to see her eyes. I don’t know about you, but for me, it is so frustrating not to be able to see the performer’s face. Other than that, I LOVED Katy Perry’s short set. She is very playful with her band members and yes people – she CAN sing live! No lip-synching for this chick. She is the real deal. Always entertaining, Katy hardly ever stops dancing around except when she is playing her guitar. Yes, she plays guitar too!

This summer, Guitar Center hit the road with the Vans Warped Tour, activating two programs designed to provide the artists on the tour with support-based tools that improve their chances for success as pro musicians: the GC Web Lab and the GC Axe Smith. The Guitar Center Web Lab, a custom 32? climate controlled internet trailer, provides bands and their crew exclusive access to a backstage wireless web center. Complete with top of the line Apple computers, a satellite-based broadband internet connections, design based software and a knowledgeable rep, Guitar Center’s mission is to provide Warped Tour artists/bands with the tools they need to maintain their online worlds when they are on the road : a service that is especially needed since web access is severely restricted in many of the rural areas where the Warped Tour touches down.

Guitar Center is also proud to provide all bands on the Vans Warped Tour with an onsite professional guitar tech, a.k.a. the “GC Axe Smith”. The GC Axe Smith is where Vans Warped Tour guitarists and bassists come to get their instruments tuned, repaired and ready to rock. From complete set-ups and minor repairs to intonation and truss-rod adjustments, this service is 100% FREE to the artists, underscoring Guitar Center’s commitment to helping Warped bands make the best music possible. In addition, Guitar Center will serve as the exclusive, presenting sponsor of the Vans Warped Tour video blog. Utilizing the Web Lab as the blogging home base, a GC video reporter will use and include the Web Lab in video content as well as conduct artist interviews within the lab’s “testimonial” set-up. Our onsite Warped rep will also produce weekly video content with artists, conducting musician-centric interviews, how-to videos and more.

Some of my favorite Katy Perry songs that you need to take at least one listen to are: Fingerprints, Hot N Cold, One of the Boys, Waking Up In Vegas, Ur So Gay, Mannequin, and of course, I Kissed a Girl.